A staple on the holiday dinner table is a heaping bowl of mashed potatoes. And they’re dead easy to make!
Mashed potatoes need four main ingredients: potatoes, milk or cream, salt, and butter. That’s it. If you want to get fancy, you can add a few pats of butter and/or top with diced chives at the end.
Yukon Gold potatoes make the very best mashed potatoes, but a regular Gold or Russet will also work. Just be careful not to overmix because they have a tendency to get stiff and gluey. Overmixing activates the potato starches, and the result is something you could use for wallpaper.
Let’s get into it!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (6 to 8 medium) of Yukon Gold, Gold, or Russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (best), half and half, or milk
- Enough water to cover the potatoes in the pot
- Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
- 1-2 pats of butter (optional)
- Diced chives (optional)
Gear
- Large pot (I use a 4-quart saucepan)
- Smaller pot or saucepan
- Strainer or colander
- Vegetable peeler or paring knife
- Potato masher, potato ricer, or large fork
Potato Prep
First, peel the potatoes using a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Then rinse them under running water to remove any dirt or bits of peel.
Cut the potatoes into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Pieces that are the same size will cook at the same rate. Put them into your pot and fill with enough cold water to cover them by about an inch.
Add the salt to the water. This will flavor the potatoes while they’re cooking.
Bring on the Heat
Bring the water to a boil over high heat and then lower the heat so the water is boiling but not spilling over the pot. If the water bubbles over, turn the heat down a little more. Cook the potatoes until they’re tender and can easily be pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes).
While the potatoes are cooking, warm up your butter and cream. Combine them in a small saucepan and cook on low heat until the butter is melted and the cream is warm.
When the potatoes are done, turn the burner off and drain by pouring them into a strainer or colander. Return the potatoes to the pot.
Put the pot back on the burner and let them sit for 1-2 minutes. Shake the pot every so often. The leftover heat from the burner will help any extra moisture evaporate and keep your potatoes from being watery.
Mash ‘Em Up
Using a potato masher, ricer, or large fork, mash the dry potatoes until they’re smooth and not lumpy. Some people use a hand mixer for this step, but I find it makes the potatoes kind of pasty.
Pour 1/2 of your butter/cream mixture over the potatoes and gently stir it in. Add the mixture a little at a time until your potatoes are the desired consistency.
At this point, I cover the pot with a lid and park it on the back of the stove, which is hot because I’m still working on the rest of the sides. I often drop a couple of pats of butter on the top for an extra buttery taste. You can also stir in some salt and pepper or sprinkle chopped chives on top.
Done! Mashed potatoes go great with holiday dinners, but are also awesome on a random Tuesday. Do you have a favorite topping? Let me know in the comments!
Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Serves 6-8 people
- 3 pounds (6 to 8 medium) of Yukon Gold, Gold, or Russet potatoes
- Enough water to cover potatoes in the pot
- 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (best), half and half, or milk
- Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
- 1-2 pats of butter (optional)
- Diced chives (optional)
- Peel potatoes and rinse under running water. Then cut them into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces.
- Put cut potatoes into a large pot and fill with cold water until potatoes are covered by about 1 inch of water. Add salt.
- Bring to a boil on high heat and then lower temperature slightly, cooking potatoes until they can be pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes)
- In a small saucepan, warm butter and milk/cream on low heat until butter is melted and milk/cream is warm.
- Remove from heat and drain into strainer or colander. Return potatoes to pot.
- Put potatoes on unheated burner and let dry for 1-2 minutes, shaking occasionally.
- Using a potato masher, ricer, or large fork, mash the potatoes until they are smooth and free of lumps.
- Pour 1/2 of the butter/cream mixture into the potato mash and stir gently. Add small amounts of liquid until potatoes reach the desired consistency.
- Serve as is or add pats of butter, diced chives, and/or salt and pepper.
